Automatic mail box door

ABSTRACT

A mail box has a door formed by split half sections which can be pushed apart for insertion of mail. The door can be swung downward as a unit to provide access for removing mail.

United States Patent Pattengill Oct. 23, 1973 [54] AUTOMATIC MAIL BOXDOOR 1,152,286 8/1915 Brownson 220/32 1,232,616 7/1917 Shinn 232/45 [75]Inventor. Ralph M. Pattengrll, Charleston, 1,332,818 3,1920 Eastman232,45 2,319,145 5/1943 Loomis 220/29 2 112,343 3/1871 Card at al.220/29 [73] Ass'gnee' :2: fig i gg g g grganmmn 2,646,214 7 1953 Cuplin232145 [22] Filed: 1972 Primary Examiner-James T. McCall [2 1] App].No.: 281,825 Assistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenbrenner Attorney-RichardS. Shreve, Jr.

[52] US. Cl. 232/17, 220/29, 232/45 [51] Int. Cl. B65d 91/00 [57]ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 232/17, 25, 44, 45;

222/29 32 A mail box has a door formed by split half sections which canbe pushed apart for insertion of mail. The [56] References Cited doorcan be swung downward as a unit to provide ac- UNITED STATES PATENTSremm'ing 2,437,053 3/1948 Swanson 232/l7 2 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresAUTOMATIC MAIL BOX DOOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION My invention is directedtoward a mail box having a door so constructed that mail can bedeposited without the door being opened in conventional manner.

SUMMARY To this end, the door is formed of two half sections pinnedpivotallyv together at the top whereby each section can be pivotedupward about the pin in a vertical plane. Each section has a verticallip intersecting the body of the section at an acute angle. The lips areabutting and extend away from each other when the sections are closed.

Mail is deposited by pushing it against the lips. With slight pressurethe door opens, and after the mail is deposited, the door closes by itsown weight. The door can be swung downward as a unit about a hinge topermit mail to be removed in conventional manner.

My invention is particularly applicable to rural type mail boxes toprevent the vehicle used by the mailman during delivery from beingstruck by the door as swung open whereby damage to paint and metal isminimized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERREDEMBODIMENTS:

Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, a horizontal rural type mail box 10 rests upand is secured to a vertical post 12. A door is hingedly secured at 14to the box and is engagable with an upper latch 16. The door consists oftwo half sections 18 and 20 which are disposed side by side andpivotable about a top horizontal pin 24 extending in the longitudinaldirection of the box.

Section 18 is pivotable clockwise upwards in a vertical plane about thepin. Section 20 is pivotable counterclockwise upwards in a verticalplane about the pin. Each section has a vertical lip 22 extendingoutward at an acute angle as for example sixty degrees. When thesections are closed, the lips are in abutting position and extendoutward from each other.

When mail is pushed against the lips, the sections pivot upwards and thedoor is opened for deposit of mail. The sections will close by gravityaction once pressure is removed. The door can be opened in conventionalmanner as a unit for removal of mail.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

I claim: 1. In combination: a rural type mail box; and a door for saidbox, said door having two mating half sections which can be pushed apartfor deposit of mail, said door being movable as a unit to open in aconventional manner for removal of mail;

wherein said sections are pivotable upwards in a vertical plane about atop disposed point of pivot, one of the sections pivoting clockwise, theother pivoting counterclockwise;

and wherein each section has a front disposed verti cal lip intersectingthe main portion of the section at an acute angle.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lips are abutted togetherwhen the sections are closed and point outward .in opposite directions.

1. In combination: A RURAL TYPE MAIL BOX; AND A DOOR FOR SAID BOX, SAIDDOOR HAVING TWO MATING HALF SECTIONS WHICH CAN BE PUSHED APART FORDEPOSIT OF MAIL, SAID DOOR BEING MOVABLE AS A UNIT TO OPEN IN ACONVENTIONAL MANNER FOR REMOVAL OF MAIL; WHEREIN SAID SECTIONS AREPIVOTABLE UPWARDS IN A VERTICAL PLANE ABOUT A TOP DISPOSED POINT OFPIVOT, ONE OF THE SECTIONS PIVOTING CLOCKWISE, THE OTHER PIVOTINGCOUNTERCLOCKWISE; AND WHEREIN EACH SECTION HAS A FRONT DISPOSED VERTICALLIP INTERSECTING THE MAIN PORTION OF THE SECTION AT AN ACUTE ANGLE. 2.The combination of claim 1 wherein said lips are abutted together whenthe sections are closed and point outward in opposite directions.